NICK MONTGOMERY has entered the running to become the new Hibs manager.
SunSport understands the Central Coast Mariners boss would be open to discussions about the vacant Easter Road role.
Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery[/caption]
Montgomery with Jason Cummings and Christian Theoharous[/caption]
Hibs won’t draw up a shortlist for the manager’s job until this weekend’s game against Aberdeen is out of the way.
But the 41-year-old Scot – now a naturalised Aussie citizen – will be considered by the club.
Neil Lennon is viewed as the favourite, though Stephen Robinson, Malky Mackay and Derek McInnes are all in the running for the role.
David Gray is in interim charge for two games and after last night’s 3-0 Europa Conference League defeat against Aston Villa he said: “I’m proud of the players, they worked to the very end in difficult circumstances all round at the football club right now.
“I can’t fault the effort or commitment from them or the response myself, Eddie May, Stuart Garden and Darren McGregor have had from the players.
“The scoreline isn’t what we want but in terms of overall performance and bravery on the ball it was a much better account of ourselves.
“We started the game well but playing against this level of opposition, if you switch off for a second or make a slight mistake then you get punished.
“We suffered a bit of that. Villa are a top, top team with fantastic players and that’s when you talk about different levels. It can be challenging.
“Once we conceded the goal we wobbled a little bit and hung on for 10 minutes. But credit to the boys they settled down and kept going.”
Gray won’t rule out possible deadline day arrivals, with Bournemouth’s Jamaican frontman Jamal Lowe linked with a move north.
He said : ”The club have been very active in the window. While the window’s open there’s always the option to do things – but my attention is now purely on Aberdeen at the weekend.”
Jordan Obita limped off and Gray added: “It’s early to say, but fingers crossed it’s not as bad as it looked.
“We weren’t going to take any risks with that one with the scoreline and Aberdeen at the weekend.
“I’d also compliment the supporters because they were fantastic in the backing they gave us throughout the game.”
Meanwhile, Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley has refused to be drawn on his future amid Hibs links.
Easter Road director of football Brian McDermott was at Rovers’ 1-0 win over Dundalk last Friday.
He’s close with Bradley, who is on the brink of winning a fourth Irish title.
Asked if McDermott’s presence was significant, Bradley said: “I don’t know. I do know Brian well.
“I worked with him closely at Arsenal. He knows his football. He’s a clever, shrewd man.”
Villa boss Unai Emery took charge of Villa’s first home European game in 13 years and he said: “We finished the job we started last week so I’m satisified.
“I was pleased with the way we played.”
“I’ve had good times in European competitions elsewhere and I want to do the same with Aston Villa.”
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson is another contender for the job[/caption]
Neil Lennon who has revealed he would be keen to talk to Hibernian[/caption]
Bradley was appointed as Rovers head coach, initially on an interim basis, in July 2016 and endured a difficult time at the start.
But, after winning the FAI Cup in 2019, he has since added three league titles and is on course for a fourth.
Last season, they reached the group stages of the Europa Conference League but fell at the first hurdle of both the Champions League and Europa League this year.
Having expressed the belief that his budget should not be affected by that, Bradley suggested last week that the re-signing of out-of-contract players and bringing in new signings was on hold.
He said: “We have to see where everything is in terms of the board, they have to tell us where we are before we can do anything.”
Bradley has attracted cross-channel interest before with Lincoln City keen to appoint him in May 2022 but he opted to stay put back then.
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